Hand tool tube bender



c. E. KLAMM HAND TooL TUBE BENnx-:R

l.March 8, 1960 n. woo.. MM m] 0.... e T. 7 51% INVENTOR.

w .KIYIW A TraR/VE KS* Hannilin Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation 'of hio Application May 31, 1957, Serial No. 662,691 11 Claims. (Cl. 81-15) The invention relates to tube bending apparatus and resides in the provision of a simple and efficient tube bender which can be hand held and manipulated in the bending of tubes through varying degrees up to 180 degrecs.

Hand tube benders are known, but in such known benders there has been limitation in the degree of bending of the tubes, or diiculties have been experienced in the handling of the devices or in providing for efficient leverage application in the use thereof. It is a purpose Y of the present invention to provide a hand tube bender embodying marked advantages over such-known structures in the way of simplicity of construction, ease of handling and efficiency in operation.

An object of the present invention is to provide a hand operated tube bender having a pair of handles which are at an angle of approximately 90 with each other in the bend starting position to provide substantial leverage for bending the tube, and wherein the handles when in position for bending will pass by each other to permit bending of tubes to angles greater than 90. j

Itis another object to provide a hand bender of the above type in which a tube holding clip is carried by one of the handles and is movable into and out of tube holding position by the handle, with the handle lying out of the path of the other handle when the clip is in tube holding position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tu-be bender of the character stated including a radius block having a tube bend controlling peripheral surface extending 180 degrees about a center, a bending block link-connected to the block at its center and swingable thereabout to bend a tube against the bend controlling surface and having a handle projecting therefrom, and a second handle pivotally mounted on the radius block on a center bearing approximately perpendicular relation to a line crossing the radius block at its center and passing through the point of commencement and the point of ending of clearly understood -by reference to the following detailed said 186 degrees peripheral surface, said second handle having a hook extension engageable with a tube for holding it while it is being bent and being swingable between tube holding and out-of-the-way positions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tube bender of the character stated wherein the bending block is pivotally mounted at the free end of its carrying link so that it can be swung to a non-bending, tube clearing position, there being included stop means on the bending block and engageable with the link to maintain a predetermined cooperative relation of block and link during the bending of a tube.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a tube bender of the character stated wherein the radius block includes a tube insertion facilitating peripheral clearance adjacent the hook extension of the second handle and extending between the zero scale mark and the pivotal mounting of the second handle.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafte appear,l the nature of the invention will be more description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing: Y

Figure 1 is .a plan view illustrating the improved tube bender, a tube being shown in place and the handles in position to start a bend in full lines, and the .position of the handles at the completion of a degreesbend being illustrated in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section taken onv the line 2--2 on Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 373 on Figure 1, the hook bearing handle being shown l in a position in which the hook is partially displaced from its tube holding position, both positioning stops being disengaged from the radius block.

Figure l is a cross section taken on the line 4-4fon 'i Figure 1. v

Figure 5 is a left side elevation showing the tube bender as positioned in Figure l.

In the example of embodiment of the invention herein.

includes a disclosed, the improved hand tube bender benderfas positioned in Figure 1.

In the example of embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, the improvedv hand tube bender includes a bending head orl radius block 5 having an in-part circular periphery 6 which is equipped with a tube receiving groove 7. A bend guiding scale 8 is applied to one face of the radius block at the edge of the peripheral surface 6, the same being equipped with 15 degrees graduation extending from 0 to 180 degrees. It will be apparent by reference to Figure 1 that the scale 8 extends about the peripheral surface 6 from the location of the zero mark at one end of an imaginary line passing'from edge to edg across the block and through its center to the 180 degrees scale mark at the other end of said line at the side of the block opposite the side bearing the zero mark. At aV portion paralleling said imaginary Aline,y the radius block is provided with a chordal wall or flattened portion 9.

A handle 10 or bending lever is pivotally mounted on a shoulder screw 11 secured in the flattened portion or,

chordal wall 9 of the radius block 5, and said handle extends beyond its pivotal mounting in the form of Va tube l securing or holding hook 12. This mounting of the handle 10 places the same parallel the flattened wall 9 and also the beforernentioned imaginary line passing through 1- the center of the radius block and the zero and 180 de grees marks on the bend guiding scale 8. It is to be noted also that the radius block 5 is provided with a surface clearance 13 bearing approximately 45 degrees angular relation to the ilattened wall 9 against lwhich the handle I 10 is pivotally mounted. This clearance is placed adjacent the handle extension carrying the tube holding hook 12 and its purpose will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

A link 14 is pivoted at 15 to the center of the radius. block 5, and at the free end of the link a bending block 16 is pivoted, as at 17. It ,will be apparent by reference the center of the link as shown in Figure l, a position determined by contact of the block carried pin 21 with t said link, as shown in Figure 4. This pin and link contact places the block face 18 in the desired angular relation to the link center and with the face 18 of the block bearing tangential relation to the peripheral surface 6 of the radius block 5. A'handle 22 projects at a slight Patented Mar, 8, i961.)y

3 angular relation to the bending block 16 in the' manner clearly illustrated in Figure 1. The handles 22 and 10 may be considered rst and second handles or levers in the description of bending operations to be carried out by the tube bender.

It will be apparent byreference to Figures l and 3 of the drawing that the second handle lll is equipped with stops 23 and 24 disposed at opposite-sides of the pivotal mounting of the handle and in position for being respectively engageable with the radius block 5 to center the tube holding hook 12 in its tube holding position illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 5, or in the out-of-the-way or tube inserting or receiving position.

With the first handle 22 swung outwardly on its pivotal mounting at the free end of the link 14 to space the tube engaging orbending face 18 well away from the radius' block, it is a simplev matter to apply a tube T which is to be bent by presenting the same opposite the radius block recess 13. and then by swinging the second handle 16 to contact the stop -23 thereof with the radius block and place the hook 1 2. in the tube holding position shown in Figures l and 5. Then the first handle 22 can be swung to' the Vpositionillustrated in `Figure l,

namely with the bending face -18' in contact with theY tube and with the handle 22 spaced from the second handle slightly more than 90 degrees; By now grasp ing the two handles 22 and 10 in the hands and swinging the first handle 22 toward thesecond handle 16, the tube T- can be bent' about'the periphery of the radius block 5 in-the well known manner and to a degree determinedv by observation of the movement of the' indicator point zfover'thescale 8. With the 'cooperating handles 22 and 10' disposed in the" angular relation illustrated in Figure 1, `it-'is a simplev matter to' apply the` pressure and leverage'necessary 'to eiiciently bend the tube. It isito benoted' by reference to' Figure 5 that the second handle 10 when in the tube holding position illustratedin Figures l and 5, is offset with relation to the'plane of the radius block, whereas the iirst handle 22 lies inthe plane of the radius .block 5. By thus placing the 'handles 'in the cooperative relation specifically described, whenever it is vdesired to make a bend in the tube T of such extent to require the same, the rst handle 22 may be' crossed over the second handle 10' in the manner clearly illustrated'in dotted lines in Figurel of the drawing.'

Whileone form of the invention has been shown for' purposes of illustration, it is to beclearly understood the appended claims.

`I claimz' lain al tube bender of the character described, a radius block having a center" and an inlpart circular 1` peripheral tube'bend' vcontrolling surface extending'concentrically about said center and having a tube receiving groove therein, a bend guiding scale on said block and extending about said surface from a zero scale mark at one end of an imaginary line passing from ledge to edge; across the block' and through its center to a '180 degrees scale markat the other-end of said lineV at'the side "of 'the block opposite Lthe side bearing the, zero mark,` a link pivote'd tothe block at its center 'and projecting radially beyond 'the 'peripheral' surface, Va bending' block carried by the link and having" a long straight face bearmg tangential .relation'to said surfaceand a tube receiving groove infsaid'face opposing the block groovefand a' handle projecting from said bending block, a pivot pinl pojectingfrom'the radius block'in a direction perpenr dicul'ar -to 'said imaginary line, a second'handle` pivote'd v on' -said pin-and extending'in generally perpendicular` relation to the 'pin VVaxis, said'second handle having a hook y'extension beyond its pivotal mounting'and engageablewith' a tube'to-hold the samewhile thejtub'e ris' `7&5

lningbent` about #the radius block' by. swinging of fthe bending head yaboutthe radius block center, 'and said second handle being swingable about its pin mounting between tube holding and out-of-the-way positions.

2. A tube bender as deiined in claim l wherein the bending block is pivotally mounted on the link so that its long straight face can be swung to and away from tangential relation to the tube bend controlling surface of the radius block, and there being included stop means on the bending' block and engageable with the link to maintain the angular relation ot' bending block and link when the bendingV of a'tube is in progress.

3. A'tube bender as dened in claim l wherein the bending block is pivotally mounted on the link so that its long straight face can be swung to and away from tangential relation `to the tube bend controlling surface of the radius block, and there being included stop means on the bending lock and engageable with the link to maintain the angular relation of bending block and link when the bending of a tube is in progress, and said radius block also havingy a tube insertion facilitating peripheral clearance adjacent the hook extension of the second handle and extending between the zero scale mark and the pivotal mounting of said second handle.

4. A tube bender as defined in claim l wherein the radius block includes a attened face bearing parallel relation to the imaginary line and from which the pivot pin projects, and the-second handle having swing limiting stops thereon spaced at opposite sides of the pivot pin center and disposed for handle movement limiting engagement with the radius block.

5. A tube bender as dened in claim l wherein the radius block includes a flattened face bearing parallel relation to the imaginary line and from which the pivot pinprojects, and the second handle having swing limiting stops thereon spaced at opposite sides of the pivot pin`center and-disposed for handle movement limiting relation to the tube bend controlling surface of the radius block, and there being included stop means on the bending block and engageable with the link to maintain the angular relation of bending block and link when the bending of a tube is in progress, and said radius block also having a tube insertion facilitating peripheral clearance adjacent the hook extension of the second handle and extending between the zero scale mark and the pivotal mounting of'said second handle.v

6. A tube bender as defined in claim 1 wherein the second handle is so positioned in cooperative relation to the otherhandle that when in its tube holding position it will bear offset relation t'o said other handle'to permit a crossing'of the other handle over the second handle during the making of a degrees bend in a tube.

7. A tubebender as defined in claim l wherein the radius block includes a llattened face bearing parallel relation to the imaginary; line and from which the pivot pin projects', and the second handle having swing limiting stops thereon spaced at opposite sides of the pivot pin center and disposed for handle movement limiting engagementwith the radius block, the bending block being betweenv the zero scale mark and the pivotal mounting of said second handle, said second handle also being so positioned in cooperative relation to the other handle that when in its tube holding position it will bear oiiset relation to .said othtr handle to permit a crossing of the other handle over the second handle during the making of a 180 degrees bend in a tube.

8. A tube bender comprising a radius block having a center and an in part circular periphery concentric with said center and about which a tube may be bent; a bending block mounted on the radius block and movable about said periphery in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the radius block, a first handle connected to the bending block for moving the same, a second handle pivotally connected to the radius block and movable in a plane parallel to the axis of the radius block, a tube holding hook forming an integral end extension of the second handle and movable thereby into and out of tube holding position, said second handle being so placed on its pivotal connection as to be offset with relation to the plane in which the first handle is operable when the hook is in tube holding position whereby the rst handle may cross over the second handle during a tube bending operation.

9. A tube bender in accordance with claim 8 in which the second handle is mounted on a pin extending radially from said radius block.

10. In a tube bender of the character described, a radius block having a center and an in part circular peripheral tube bend controlling surface extending concentrically about said center and having a tube receiving groove therein, a bending block pivotally connected to the radius block at said center and having a face bearing tangential relation to said surface and a tube receiving groove in said face opposing the block groove, a handle projecting from said bending block in a plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the radius block, a pivot pin projecting radially from the radius block, a second handle pivoted on said pin and extending in generally perpendicular relation to the pin axis, said second handle having a hooked extension beyond its pivotal mounting which is engageable with a tube to hold the same while the tube is being bent about the radius block by a swinging of the bending head about the radius block center, said second handle being swingable about its pin mounting between tube holding and out-of-the-way positions of said hook, said second handle being in a position out of said plane when the hook is in tube holding position whereby the first handle may cross-over the second handle.

11. A tube bender comprising a radius block having a center and a peripheral surface at least a part of which is of a constant radius concentric with said center and about which a tube may be bent, a bending block, means mounting said bending block on said radius block for movement about said radius block periphery in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said radius block, a flrst handle connected to said bending block for moving the same, a lever, means connecting said lever to said radius block for pivotal movement in a plane parallel to the axis of said radius block, said lever having a handle at one end and a tube holding hook at the other end movable by said lever handle into and out of tube holding position, said lever connecting means being oiset from the general axis of said lever, whereby when said hook is in a tube holding position in the plane of said radius block said lever handle is disposed out of the radius block plane and out ofthe path of movement of said first handle during a tube bending operation.

ReliereneesCited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,127,185 Parker Aug. 16, 1938 2,428,237 McIntosh Sept. 30, 1947 2,464,800 Franck Mar. 22, 1949 2,709,382 Safranski May 31, 1955 2,757,562 Zales et al. Aug. 7, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 417,656 Great Britain Oct. 3, 1934 464,413 Canada Apr. 18, 1950 

